'Independent' spectre in Sangli again: Congress rebel meets Jarange, his support may damage MVA

Much like what was witnessed in the Lok Sabha, Sangli is set for another multi-cornered contest in the assembly polls. While the BJP, which holds the seat, has fielded its sitting MLA Sudhir Gadgil, the Maha Vikas Aghadi's official candidate is Prithviraj Patil of Congress. However, Congress rebel Jayashri Patil has also thrown her hat in the ring as an Independent. 

On Sunday, Jayashri Patil met Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange seeking his support for the assembly election. Jayashri Patil is Lok Sabha MP Vishal Patil's sister-in-law and the wife of late state minister and prominent Congress leader Madan Patil. They belong to the family of Maharashtra chief minister late Vasantdada Patil. 

Jayashri Patil filed her nomination as an independent after the Congress announced the candidature of Prithviraj Patil from Sangli, currently represented by the BJP's Sudhir Gadgil. Any support from Jarange may lead to the division of anti-BJP votes in Sangli and may damage the prospect of the MVA.  

The rebel met Jarange with her supporters and brother-in-law Vishal Patil in Jalna. "We approached Jarange to seek his support as Jayashri is eager to contest the election as an Independent. She has already filed her nomination, and there is significant support for her," said Vishal's brother and former Union Minister Pratik Patil. 

Jayashri Patil has also requested the Election Commission to issue her the electoral symbol of an "envelope", which her brother-in-law used during the Lok Sabha elections and won, sources told the news agency PTI.  

Congress has fielded Prithviraj as he ran a strong campaign against Gadgil in the 2019 assembly elections, and lost by a slender margin of less than 7,000 votes. 

In the recent Lok Sabha election, Sangli, a stronghold of Congress, went to Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena. However, former Congress leader Vishal Patil contested the poll as an Independent and won the seat. Vishal Patil defeated BJP's Sanjaykaka Patil by over 1 lakh votes. Later, he extended his support to the Congress.